Not Like The Movies
by DecorusEverto
Summary: If it's not like the movies, that's how it should be. / Zemyx. Hints of AkuDem, but that's not important.
1. Prologue

**A/N: WHY HELLO! It seems I finally got my lazy ass back into gear and decided to start a new project. I promise chapters will NOT be this short, as this is just the prologue, but I'm already working on chapter one so keep your eyes peeled! :)**

**This is a songfic. So if you want more info behind the story I guess, this song is called Not Like The Movies by Katy Perry. It's really good, and I suggest you listen to it.**

**ALSO. ALSOALSOALSO. I apologize to any anti-AkuDem people out there. I promise that this IS a Zemyx story, but I needed these two together in order for the story to progress. I promise there won't be anything that will make you want to cry in shame. I do NOT like this pairing. It will branch off into Zemyx and AkuRoku, so do not fret my lovelies.**

**Enjoy?**

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I wasn't really sure how to describe my life.

If I were to ask, most people would have said life was pretty freakin' perfect. At 22 with a well-paying job, a large assortment of friends, and a steady relationship, people would say I was set for success. I was creative, a nice person to be around with a dry sense of humor, and a smile girls would describe as 'dreamy'.

But what if that wasn't how I viewed it? In fact, what if I didn't think of my life that way at all?

In my perspective, my life was satisfactory. Sure, I was given all the opportunities and streaks of luck that people would kill for, but that didn't mean I was one hundred percent with the idea that I could live my life to the fullest. 'Perfect' wasn't the word I would have used to describe my lifestyle.

The definition of 'perfect' was always blurry in my mind. Everyone else was more than capable of listing off his or her ideal or 'perfect' getaway. His or her 'perfect' spouse; his or her 'perfect' life. To say the least, I had some serious inner turmoil as to why my puzzle pieces didn't match up like everyone else's when they should have made the perfect picture.

There goes that word again. 'Perfect'. Who the fuck woke up one morning and decided to make a word that symbolized purity? When this big mental first hit me, I wanted to punch that inventor in the face. Right in the facial region. Because they made me, Demyx Wright, confused as ever.

In said confused state, I sat down and looked at my life in a general sense. What did I have that made it worth living? What created those 'puzzle pieces' that weren't locking together right?

I had my job. Okay, so I worked as a record store manager. Honestly, I couldn't have asked for more, with music being my cornerstone of everything I did. So that didn't conjure up any feelings of discomfort, but I still felt in nonetheless.

I had my friends. All of which were more than close to me, I always had someone I could confide in and ask for advice or a shoulder to cry on if I needed it. We all got along and when arguments did occur, no one stayed angry at each other for more than a couple days. We were inseparable.

Then I had my relationship. Now, if someone were to ask me which girl in our group I was dating, I would point with a smug smirk on my face and say, "That one, with the fire truck hair and facial tattoos." Then, that someone would realize that I was gay and either:

A) Squeal and ask us to kiss. (Usually the common reaction of the female variety.)

or,

B) Cringe and walk away, probably glancing back a few times in disgust.

Yes, I had a boyfriend. His name was Axel, and at the time, he was my everything. Not that mushy, high-pitched 'sunshine, rainbows and unicorns' everything, but he was the top person I could go to if I was feeling down. For the people who cringed and walked away, it was obvious they didn't know the back-story we had or didn't accept the fact that love was not distinguished by gender.

After looking at my puzzle pieces, I realized that it wasn't the imperfections that were weighing my life down.

My life was too perfect. Too much like the movies, and my mission was to search for something that made it imperfect.

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**A/N: I hate it when I write things that are unbelievably short... but I had to fit this in so I could get the story out there and in motion. So READ AND REVIEW! :D I'd love to know if you guys want more, and want to know why Demyx is such a goddamn downer! Hahaha.**

**- DecorusEverto.**


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, here is the first chapter! I hope you like it, considering the effort put in wasn't the bare mininum and I'm actually quite happy with it. I was originally going to make this story a one-shot but after pulling all of the information together I realized I could make this so much more. So... yeah!**

**I won't be posting any chapters for the next while because I'M GOING TO JAPAN! I'll be leaving on the 17th and coming back on the 29th, so if I have some spare time -which I probably won't- I'll try to get some writing done while experiencing some serious culture shock and jet lag. Hopefully by the time I come back I'll have some spontaneous ideas for this story and I'll be able to sit down and write this muthafucka like a pro. Hahaha. But anyway...**

**Enjoy?**

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**Chapter One: **"It Didn't Fit, It Wasn't Right. Wasn't Just The Size."

My eyes blinked open, attempting to focus on the ceiling in my line of vision as I could hear the faint jingling of keys unlocking my front door. I didn't move, or really react to the familiar sound; I knew it was either Axel or Zexion so I merely closed my eyes again and snuggled further into my blankets. Footsteps sounded across the hardwood floors and by the lack of conversation I knew it was Zexion who had shown up.

It had been two days since I last left my bedroom and did something productive. The only times I had actually got up were to go to the bathroom and grab snacks every so often, but that was about it. To say the least, my mental state had caused me to become a bed-ridden, lethargic 22 year-old. This had my friends concerned, and my boyfriend panicked, so I was constantly convincing them I was fine and just needed some time to think. Little did they know, I had been thinking non-stop for 48 hours and hadn't gotten anywhere. Not only that, but I seriously needed a shower.

"I hope you realize how long you've been in here," My slate-haired friend commented as he walked into my room quietly, sitting at the foot of my bed as I rolled over onto my stomach and shoved my face into the pillows, sighing. Zexion leaned up against the wall, and I could feel his gaze on my back as I flexed and unflexed my back muscles to try and wake them up somewhat. "What's gotten into you, Dem?"

Zexion, through Axel, had grown to be my closest friend with no doubt in my mind. If I needed to say anything to anyone that could risk tarnishing my friendship with them, he was the man to go to and get the green light from. The same went for him if he needed to talk to me, but since he was the reserved one out of the two of us that situation was very rare. When it did happen, I'd always know that something was seriously wrong because if Zexion's emotions were out of check, Earth's rotation surely skipped like a broken record machine. I'd known him for a good seven years, meeting him and the rest of Axel's closer friends at the beginning of my ninth grade year. They were the ones who pulled me out of my shell and made me the lunatic I am today; Zexion was the one who kept me in line, and I could probably never repay him for all the bad paths he'd stopped me from going down.

"Demyx." Zexion sighed, and I knew that tone instantly. It was the one that he put on when he didn't want to sound completely tired of something, but wanted to let his annoyance seep through the cracks just enough for the person to get the message without it sounding rude. Instead of being ignorant and continuing my silence I sat up, hair disheveled and grey wife-beater crinkled and bunched up. I knew I looked like a wreck, and the look on Zexion's face only further confirmed my knowledge. "Yes?" I replied bluntly, and Zexion's lip twitched in that 'you know what I'm talking about' kind of fashion. Usually my friend was pretty collected about these kinds of things, but I guessed that after seeing me curled up in bed for two days and then confront me only for me to play dumb probably ticked him off.

"Look, Zexy..." "I know you're going through some sort of shit right now, but you've gotta talk to me." Silence ensued. I didn't know what to say. What would he respond with, knowing my problem? That my life sucked because it rocked. What the hell kind of dilemma was that? In my head, I sounded stuck up even if I didn't feel that way. I didn't respond. Zexion sighed again, getting up from his spot on my bed and taking a few fluid strides to my door and looking back at me. As our eyes met, I realized then how worried Zexion really was.

"At least talk to Axel, okay? Even if you won't talk to me." His eyes clouded over with something... I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it seemed like a foggy mixture of concern and yearning. As a reply, I nodded briefly, and Zexion shut the door behind him. I fell back onto my bed with a muffled 'thump' as soon as I heard his footsteps disappear deeper into the apartment. Earth's rotation was on a constant skip, and it was my fault. I stayed in my spot for about ten minutes, mulling over the conversation that left a certain tension lingering in my room. I knew I couldn't leave it there and continue on with my pointless dwelling.

Filled with guilt, I stumbled out of my cave and back into reality for the first time in 48 hours.

Zexion noticed this, looking up from the kitchen counter where he was chopping up what looked like a melon and putting it on a plate for himself. After knowing each other for so long and knowing Axel for double the time, Zex knew that he could make himself at home and practically live with us if he wanted. A small smile of success barely ghosted across his lips, but the look in his eyes told me I had been lured out of my thinking hole and I reprimanded myself for not seeing through his act.

I made my way into the kitchen to join him, sitting down at the small four-person dining table. When Axel and I had first originally moved in together, I had bought a whole set of plain beige wood furniture. Most of it stayed its standard color, but for some reason I had gravitated towards the table and ended up painting it a cheery shade of yellow. At the time, I had no sense of foresight, and now the single coat of paint was chipping away to make the table look worse than it did when I first purchased it. While I sat in my train of thought, Zexion had been observing my odd behavior and leaned against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed over his chest. "Dem?"

"Mm," I responded dully, my tone slightly slurred with laziness. Ignoring his inquiry, I started up a new topic. "Do you remember what I was like as a kid? Back in high school?"

"Well, if I really think about it, yes," Zexion came and sat down in the chair across from me, leaning back in thought. "You were surprisingly quiet. Well, until you met Axel and Marluxia. They really got you hyped up, while Riku and I wondered how the hell such a high-energy personality could come out of such an inverted kid."

And Zexion was right on the target when he said that. Around anyone I didn't know I would be silent, and if I said anything it was very few words. I wasn't sure why I barely talked, I just... didn't. I didn't have anything to say. People who didn't know me didn't need to know what I thought. Or at least that's what my adolescent mind told me.

In elementary school, I was known as the "creative" kid. The one who everyone else always avoided. Well, everyone but the other weird kids. Sure, I made friends. But 'fitting in' was never my cup of tea. I'd still notice the odd glances other kids' parents would give me whenever I walked by with armfuls of scattered papers. Papers filled with my dreams, and whatever my imagination conjured up. What I wished for came to life on those pieces of paper. In the little doodles of islands and cities, where the grass was pink and the sky was yellow. It wasn't real, but my made-up wonderland was better than my reality any day. When I was younger, I was anything but perfect. My life was messy, jumbled. Compared to now, where my position rested on the exact opposite side of the spectrum in one's perspective.

Younger Demyx couldn't see 'perfect', because in his mind, he wasn't perfect. And imperfect was all I was ever going to be. But older Demyx couldn't see 'perfect', because it left him at a dead end and wondered 'what next'? Mind-boggling, right?

Elementary school passed, and once middle school occurred, so did the drop in my friend count. It turned out that my friends really weren't my friends, and they found whom they truly wanted to hang out with once the student population grew. I was, once again, the odd one out.

I found my outlets. I discovered channels through guitar, or through painting in my art class. Of course, drawing childish dreams wasn't mature enough for a fourteen year-old teenager. I needed to find another way to release his creative flow. That was how my counselor put it, my creative flow… I was sure that even she labeled me as different. 'Unique', being the nice way to put it. But I knew. I wasn't stupid. In fact, I was quite bright for my age. Being at the top of the class was great, but having no one to congratulate you but your parents was not.

Speaking of my parents, I didn't really know what to say about them. My mom was a flake, always in and out of the house and only ever around for me when it counted the least. As for my dad? Well, he was a different story. He apparently always longed for a son. Someone to bring fishing with him, to pass a football across the backyard, and teach how to replace a flat tire. Up until middle school, my father and I relied on one another, and by the time I turned fifteen, my mom didn't even come around anymore.

No one ever told me why my mom left. I could only assume that the nightlife drew her away from the possibility of a 'white picket fence' lifestyle. Over time, I got over it, but there were sometimes when I could really use a shoulder to cry on.

Like the day when my father found out I didn't like girls.

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_"Dad!" I rushed into the house, a giant grin on my face and guitar case gripped tightly in one hand. I could hear rustling from the back of the house, so I let my backpack fall off of my shoulders at the front door and made my way into the office where my father worked. Said father had his eyes glued to a computer monitor, with what looked to be like an IM conversation opened on it. Sitting down in a chair across the room, I wasted no time pulling out my guitar and making sure the strings were tuned._

_By now, I was in grade 10 and an aspiring musician. I'd gained quite the wide set of skills on the guitar, and played other string instruments such as the cello, mandolin, and the sitar. I would have played the sitar more if I could've had the chance, but my high school didn't have the budget to buy one, and my dad said I was better off learning a more mainstream instrument. Now that I had hit high school, I was provided with solid guitar classes and found myself playing hours upon hours each day. I had finally found a way to fit in a little more. Unfortunately, my luck didn't last for long._

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See, I had another… problem. For my grade 7 dance, a girl had asked to be my date. More than ecstatic to get some attention from a girl, I said yes and we went as a couple. It turned out by the end of the night, my sexuality had shifted. Girls were too whiny and dramatic, and the ways they were able to degrade themselves and make you feel like a piece of shit in the process was outstanding. And when I say outstanding, I don't mean it in a good way.

So I started keeping his eyes peeled for guys. They were a gender I could relate with, without the drama and the constant crying from hormones. Sure, I probably made girls sound like quite the burden, but only if I had to get involved with them in a steady relationship. A good example being Larxene. I could deal with Larxene on a regular basis, as long as I didn't have to share a bed with her and hold her hand. I honestly could not understand how Marly ended up dating her for over a year without hanging himself.

The bigger problem was, no other guys –from what I could tell- were gay in my age group. They all chased after girls while I stayed on the sidelines and tried to pick the odd one out. The one who wasn't genuine and just wanted to seem like any other guy.

That guy was Axel.

If anyone knew the redhead, they would know that he could be quite the womanizer. Always bouncing from girl to girl, and never becoming too attached to anyone in particular. I befriended Axel when he first entered the ninth grade, and in turn I became friends –actual friends- with Axel's other companions. Marluxia, Larxene, Zexion, and Riku all welcomed me into their group with open arms, more than happy to accept another free spirit such as myself. Even if I was a little quiet, they knew how to push the right buttons and get me going which amazed me to no end. But even though all of them were close with Axel, I was the only one to see through his façade and call him out on his "ladies man" attitude.

And I was right. Axel was in fact gay, and he was also the first person I came out to. At first Axel was shocked at the kind of luck, but he grew to feel not as alone knowing that there was someone he could confide in. Like Axel's big personality, he also had a big reputation at their school. If anyone were to find out he would surely drop to the bottom of the food chain, so I only talked to him about problems in that category over text or email.

Or in this case, an IM chatroom.

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_When my father didn't respond to him entering the room, I attempted to strike up a conversation and get some attention. Usually, that wasn't a difficult task. Shifting in my seat slightly, my grin didn't falter under the slightly nervous waves he was experiencing in the pit of his stomach._

_"So I finally nailed the intro to 'Under the Bridge'." With my dad being a big Chili Pepper's fan, I'd hoped that it would pique his interest. When it didn't, my nerves started to get the better of me. The odd change in behavior from my dad was definitely out of the ordinary. "Wanna hear it?"_

_Even through the silence, I could feel the tension almost choking him as my father continued to stare at the computer screen. I couldn't see his expression, but I knew it wasn't one filled with warmth and encouragement by the way his frame sat rigid at the computer desk. "Dad?"_

_"Dem… why didn't you tell me?"_

_At first, I wasn't sure as to what my dad was talking about, but in a split second the loose ends connected all at once. I had to blink away the tears that were just yearning to spill down my cheeks. I wasn't sure why I wanted to cry in the first place; I hadn't even heard my father's reaction yet. He guessed it was the feeling of being caught... the feeling of uncertainty flooding his mind._

_Earlier that morning Axel and I had been talking on IM about medial topics, nothing too important. But there was a constant flirting match behind our words, and my dad must have found the conversation and sensed that underlying connection… one he wasn't expecting from his son._

_"So you're gay." I was at a loss for words. What was I supposed to say? The answer was obvious, too obvious. So why make me say it out loud Apparently, my dad wouldn't have silence as a response._

_"What did I do wrong as a father, Dem? I know your mother neglected you and all, but-" "You think you did something **wrong**?" I snapped back, not meaning to have such an acidic tone, but I couldn't take it back now._

_"You're not what I raised you to be. I wondered why you didn't bring home any girls…" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Is there something wrong with being gay, dad?"_

_Another silence engulfed them, and the grip I had on his guitar neck tightened until my knuckles were white and my body frame was shaking. I wasn't sure whether it was out of being pushed away by my only parent, or if it was because my father was so irrational about the matter._

_"Get out of my house." The next words that left my dad's lips shocked me. "Wha-" "I said get out of my house. I won't have you or any of your kind around here."_

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That was the last time I ever talked to my dad. I didn't reply to his pleas as I got up and began packing his clothing and personal belongings. I didn't stop to say goodbye to my regretful parent as I shut the front door, and I didn't hesitate to call the first person I knew would take me in without a second thought.

"Do you remember when I moved in with Axel's family?" I broke out of my flashbacks to look up and see Zexion chewing on a piece of melon, perfectly fine with my lack of words. He stopped his eating to chuckle slightly before swallowing his food. "If you mean for the twenty minutes they had you in the house till you were forced to come live with me, then yes, I do in fact remember that."

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_A light drizzle had cast over Twilight Town as the sun sank behind the horizon, leaving me on the front steps of Axel's house with damp clothes and a soaked face. Unfortunately my skin wasn't wet from the rain._

_"Dem?" A quieter voice sounded from above and I looked up to see Axel poking his head out of a window on the second floor. I offered a small smile, but he could see right through the weak attempt. I could hear feet quickly making their way throughout the house, and before I knew it Axel had me in a tight embrace with a hand running its fingers through my hair._

_"I-I tried calling you but you didn't... didn't pick up..." The tears quickly started up once again and my body was wracked with sobs. Axel stood their silently, running a hand up and down my back while pulling me onto a part of his front deck that was sheltered from the rain. He sat us down on a bench and I stayed clinging to the front of his shirt. At the time I felt pathetic, and worthless. I could tell he was trying to soothe those feelings but it was a difficult task._

_I didn't even have to say to Axel what happened; he could already tell and when I finally calmed down and pulled away, I could see the true pain and sympathy in his eyes. "Demyx, I'm sorry." "I sort of expected this. Just... not so soon, y'know?"_

_"Axel, are you out here?" Another voice rang through the front doorway and the vibrant face of his mother appeared, looking at the two of us quizzically. "What's going on here, Ax?"_

_"Demyx' dad freaked out on him." He replied, not getting into specifics and I mentally thanked him for it. His mother paused for a second, obviously processing the current situation in her head before responding. "Well, why don't you two come inside and Demyx can explain what happened? It's freezing out here."_

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"You know, they barely gave me any chance to speak my case. I just mentioned the coming and out and they automatically said 'go live with Zexion'."

"Okay, first of all," Zexion corrected me, attempting to prevent himself from choking on a cube of melon. "I'm sure they didn't just shove you out of the house like that. Way to make me feel like the last resort." He said jokingly, and I automatically felt bad for putting it that way. "Second," he muttered, "It's quite obvious why they didn't let two gay guys stay together in the same bedroom. Let alone two gay hormonal teenage guys."

"Touche." I nodded slowly before I started laughing. It felt good to just laugh again, but the happy sound faded quickly as I hopped back into my line of deep thought. It was then that I had an epiphany.

My life as a child was far from perfect. In fact, it threw me back and forth and shook me until I was sick and tired of it. At that point, I was begging for a normal life. Then I made some friends and opened up. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, my life was the epitome of perfect. Where did it all shift for the better? Or was it for the worse? I couldn't tell, and the realization had me even more confused than I was before. Abruptly, I stood up from the table and headed for the front door, grabbing a jacket and slipping on my shoes. "I'll be back!"

Zexion looked extremely thrown off-guard. First I was refusing to leave my room and then I was off into the world without any warning whatsoever. "Where are you going?"

I looked back, a small grin on my face. "I gotta go talk to someone."

As I closed the front door behind me and went down the hallway towards the elevators, I knew what I had to do.

It was time to take action and figure out what I wanted in life.

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**A/N: Did you like it? I did. :) Especially since I know exactly what I want to write in the next few chapters to come. Hopefully I might have another chapter up before I leave for my trip, but there are no guarantees. READ AND REVIEW, HOMESLICES! Positive feedback is what I need to keep this story a' rumblin'! :)**

**- DecorusEverto**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: After checking my emails today after school and seeing I got two new reviews on this story made me smile. :) It may not be much, but it still means a lot to me and only motivates me more to write.**

Dawn Phantom**: First of all, you're awesome for constantly reviewing my stories. Makes me so happy. :D & I know homophobes like Demyx' dad, and I hate it... people need to grow up and accept the fact that people are who they are. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEW!**

Fire Serendipity**: Oh, I'm sorry Zemyx isn't your preference. I will be writing a few AkuDem scenes, but nothing too graphic due to the fact that the pairing isn't really my favorite. But anyway, thanks for the review and I'm glad you like my story! :)**

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**Chapter Two: **"They Say You Know When You Know..."

"Marluxia! Answer your fucking door." I grumbled to myself, dialling the pink-haired man's buzz number again and waiting impatiently. I knew for a fact that he wasn't working that day, only lounging around and probably cleaning his house like an obsessive-compulsive freak, but after dialling him four times I was starting to doubt his usual schedule.

Marluxia was... an odd character. I wasn't completely sure what his natural hair color was, what he did for a living, or what he labelled himself as far as sexuality went. His personality was like trying to see what was lying at the bottom of a murky pond. His base emotion was never perfectly clear; sometimes he would be overly flamboyant, on the brink of a flaming homosexual. But he could also be serious and cold. Not what you'd expect from a young man with rose-colored hair and an odd liking to flowers. What I was perfectly sure about Marluxia, though, was that he somehow knew so much about almost anything and I could go to him for advice for more pressing matters that I didn't wish to put on Zexion.

I also knew Marly was a total flirt, but the people who knew him grew used to that.

"That's it," I muttered, pulling out a small ring of keys from my back pocket and flipping through them until I found the proper one, unlocking the main door to his apartment. Usually I would be polite and wait with a bounce in my step for him to saunter over to his phone and buzz, but today I was feeling anything but patient and needed to talk to him as soon as possible. The explanation behind the spare key? When he had gone on a cruise to Cuba with his now ex-girlfriend Larxene, somehow I was assigned the job to go to his house and water his large assortment of exotic plants. Don't get me wrong, they're nice plants. But the amount of foliage he had sitting around his house amazed me to no end.

After taking a ride up the elevator to my requested floor, I travelled down the hall to Marluxia's suite and knocked firmly. "Marly! You in there?" After a few moments of silence, I pulled out the suite key and opened the door, entering to catch a familiar pink-headed man stumbling backwards out of his bedroom half-naked with another blonde man latched onto his neck. Automatically, I screamed and shielded my eyes. "Marly, what the fu-"

"_DEMYX_!" Marluxia yelled back in surprise, choking it out in half a moan as he was pushed against a wall by his current bed mate. As soon as his partner heard this, though, he looked up in shock, speechless. For what seemed like a lifetime everyone was silent until Marly whispered to his 'friend' to head back to his room. After this occurred, I opened my eyes again to see Marluxia pulling on a shirt. I held back a sigh of relief. "What the hell was that?"

"What the hell was _that_? You just burst into my house with no warning whatsoever!" Not wanting to disagree with him and mention his four calls and one attempt at a knock, he retaliated with different information. "I didn't expect for you to be doing _that_! In the middle of the day?" I grimaced slightly, trying to burn the images from my mind that were reappearing faster than I could remove them.

Marluxia merely smirked, shrugging. "I didn't know what time it was anyway. It's never a bad time to-" "Yeah, I get it." I cut him off, waving a hand furiously to dismiss the topic. Another short round of silence passed before Marly spoke again. "So... why are you here?"

"Oh, uh... I was wondering if we could... talk..." The idea seemed stupid now, with it being quite obvious that I interrupted whatever Marluxia was engaged in prior to my arrival. I could see it in the pinkette's eyes as well, the way they lingered on his bedroom door before turning back to me with a sigh.

"Alright. Just give me some time to get ready."

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After the scenario in Marluxia's apartment, I found myself walking along the roads of Twilight Town with him and his still unnamed companion who had their hands laced together and pace in sync. I found it quite an odd sight considering Marluxia was never one to hang onto a relationship and I had seen him with another guy by the name of Xigbar not a week before. Not to mention the guy he was with looked double his age, but I wouldn't mention that to the blonde's face. As we walked, I explained to Marluxia every thought and detail that had been plaguing my mind for the past few days, constantly finding myself rambling on as my thoughts grew and evolved. Luckily, it looked like Marluxia could retain all the information, and by the time I was done, he already had somewhat of an answer prepared.

"Well, it sounds like you've got some serious problems." He said, sitting down on a bench and I almost wanted to smack him for stating the obvious. As I sat down next to him, I saw him pull out a few munny and hand them two the blonde man with a soft smile. _That looks... weird..._ I thought to myself, once again not used to Marly's odd behavior.

"Vex, will you get me a coffee while I talk with Dem? Get whatever you want." "Not a problem." 'Vex' responded, pressing a light kiss to Marluxia's lips before walking off. I wasn't sure whether my stomach was churning from the romance, or because of how kind Marly was acting. I settled with the idea that it was probably a bit of both.

"What the hell is this?" I asked dumbfoundedly, watching Vex walk off and Marluxia watch him with the hint of a smile. As soon as I spoke, Marluxia turned to me and his expression hardened again, dismissing my inquiring mind. "Nothing about me right now; we need to focus on your problem." At this, I went silent, giving my friend a small shrug. "I don't know what's wrong."

"You're unhappy with your life." He said bluntly, and I cut in. "Well, I know that, but-" "But doesn't matter. If you're not pleased with the way you're living then that's all that counts. Just because someone else says you're living a perfect life doesn't mean you have to say you are. That is their view of perfect and not yours." Marluxia had a point, but for some reason I couldn't shake the fact that I could be taking a so-called 'perfect' life for granted. "I did notice something odd, though. A few things actually. Mind if I mention them to you?"

Happy to hear someone else's opinion, I nodded quickly. "The first thing I noticed is that you didn't once mention Axel in any of your explanation. Are you two alright?" He asked, and I shrugged, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. Did I not mention the redhead? The comment was odd, especially since whenever I would have a conversation with someone our topic would always tend to circle back to something about him. Not mentioning him had to be a first.

"Well, yeah. We're fine. Nothing's really changed; we're as happy as we've always been." "Do you think you're unsatisfied with Axel?" The words coming out of Marluxia's mouth shocked me. Why would he be unsatisfied? Axel gave me everything I asked for and if not more. Axel exceeded expectations, so the question once again seemed odd. "No! Why would I think that? You see us together, don't you? We're fine!"

"I don't know, Dem. I'm just asking. But you're getting pretty hostile about it." He held a hand up defensively and I sighed, running a hand through my hair that had less life than it usually did. "You look like crap." Marluxia commented, and I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Thanks for noticing."

"Why didn't you tell this to Zexion?" Marly asked, and I looked up to find a calm pair of cerulean eyes meeting mine. I answered with another shrug. "I-I don't know. Didn't want to put the stress on him, I guess." "So instead you leave him in the dark about it?" I narrowed my eyes slightly at his words, unsure of what to say. "What are you getting at here?"

"What I'm saying is you should tell Axel and Zexion, too. They're the two closest people in your life, and they need to know. Keeping them on the outside and letting others in is not the answer. Especially since this is causing you so much turmoil and you know about it. Think about how they must feel right now?" Once again, Marluxia's advice rang true and I found myself feeling quite idiotic about the whole situation. I figured the more people I talked to, the confusion would lessen and I'd be able to sort my thoughts better considering at the moment they were a hazy mess.

"Yeah..." I replied weakly, and Marly quirked an eyebrow. "What's making you hesitate?" "Abandonment." My expression fell, and Marluxia furrowed his eyebrows in concern. He knew my past; everyone that was close to me did. I wasn't afraid to tell them about my bumpy childhood or my dysfunctional family environment. It was just another thing I got over.

"We won't abandon you, Demyx." Marluxia's seriousness was undeniably sincere, and even through he was being honest the thought of being left behind by everything I cared about lingered in my mind. To take things for granted and have them leave when I need them the most... that was a big fear of mine.

"I've never seen you so torn up about something. Even your dad didn't affect you this much." I didn't look up this time, keeping my gaze downcast and staring at my hands folded loosely in my lap. "This isn't the Demyx we know."

"Here," Out of nowhere, Vex reappeared with a coffee in each hand, though one hand struggled to balance a cell phone and a cup. "I'll be back; my work called wondering why I didn't show up and now I'm forced to come up with some brilliant excuse as to why I broke a perfect attendance record after two years." Marly's lighter side returned as soon as Vex did, and he gave a playful chuckle as the blonde walked back off in a huff.

"Can I please know why the hell you're sleeping with a chain of old men, Mar?" I said, and Marluxia caught my cheekiness with a glare.

"First of all, it's been two guys and they both haven't exceeded thirty-five." His said, glancing back at Vex who looked quite flustered on his phone. "Besides, he's... nice."

"Whoa. Nice? Mar Mar, what the hell?" I was sure that by the end of this conversation, I would be unable to keep track of the amount of time I'd used the term 'what the hell'. "And he can't be under forty. If he told you any different, I think he's trying to lead you into a dark alley and-"

"Demyx! I get it, okay?" Marly laughed. "And to be honest, Vexen just looks older for his age. Comes with working at TTU with a bunch of lunatics."

"Wait... you're sleeping with your _teacher_?" I exclaimed, trying to keep my voice down as Vexen looked over in suspicion. TTU stood for Twilight Town University, and to know that Marluxia did in fact attend there only made the situation more far fetched. "I can't believe it.."

"Will you.. don't give me that look." He scolded, and I attempted to hide my cheesy, 'you're jail bait' smile as he gave me a look that parents gave to their misbehaving children. "Will you at least let me explain my case before you go off and call him something he's not? You've been hanging out with Axel too much.." He muttered the last part to himself and my smile only grew. I thought about that jokingly for a few seconds just to put my pink-haired friend on the spot before giving him a dramatic sigh. "Fine."

This was where the shiny, girlish side of Marluxia would surface.

"That man over there is Vexen, and he works as the psychology professor at TTU as you already know. I met him in class a couple weeks ago and, well..." Marly gave me a small smile. "We hit it off."

"Then... what about Xigbar?" Not last week I had seen the one-eyed man with Marluxia when we had all gone downtown clubbing for a night and they had been more than close. But apparently, whatever happened between the two of them had ceased.

"Oh, that was just a fling. Experimental thing, dear." Marluxia waved a hand dismissively. "Xiggy and I have always been close friends; things went a little too far and that was that. Besides, the morning after was more than awkward." I wondered how any of Marly's closer friends could keep up with his personality roller coaster when I could barely handle it as it was. "Okay, so, more about.. what is it? Vexen?"

"Well, we met in his class since I'm taking it and me, being the social butterfly I am, asked him out for a drink after the day and although he was hesitant, he said yes." Marluxia explained as he looked back at Vexen, the blonde looking like he was getting talked down at by the dean of the school. "One drink turned into a couple... one thing lead to another.." The pinkette looked back at me with an ear-to-ear smile, his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly. "And here we are. An item. Cool, huh?"

"I don't know, Marly.." I said hesitantly, wondering if this could be a good idea. Not only would Vexen's job be jeopardized if the school board found out he was sleeping with a student, let alone dating him. And Marluxia was sure to be a handful for a more mature man like Vexen; even while Marly and Larxene were dating, they were always open to one another seeing other people, so having Marluxia keep a steady relationship would be quite the hurdle to overcome. I was sure that if it was meant to be, it would work out for the better.

"I think this is gonna work, Dem. I feel like he just... gets me. More than anyone else has before, y'know? I'm sure you feel that same way about Axel." Marluxia leaned back against the bench, crossing his arms over his chest and gazing up at the clock tower that stood in the distance. The sun was slowly setting now, and any townspeople that were out and about started to feel the late afternoon heat that made every movement feel like molasses. Every building was outlined with a rich shade of gold, the sun giving the town a lazy feel like it did every evening. I found myself getting lost in the scenery, not realizing that Vexen had come back and was now conversing with Marluxia.

"Is everything okay?" "Yeah, we're all good." Marly smiled, and I glanced over to see the pink-headed man tracing patterns on Vexen's palm. I couldn't help but let the contagious smile take me over as I watched the happy sight.

_Happy..._ I thought, zoning out back into my own thoughts. Thinking about my conversation with Marluxia about being perfect, and Axel... Axel.

Was I truly happy with Axel? The question concerned me, with this occasion being the first time I ever questioned our relationship of three years. The feelings that were stirred inside of me due to that question worried me as well, and as I looked back at Marluxia and Vexen having such a lighthearted conversation I realized to myself that if it was meant to work, it was meant to work. I loved Axel, and if he loved me back that was the way it was supposed to be. Call me a sucker for believing in fate, but it was true.

_"I feel like he just... gets me. More than anyone else has, y'know? I'm sure you feel the same way about Axel."_

"I... I think I'm gonna go home, Mar." I said to the pinkette, and he gave me a grin and a nod.

"Alright, Dem. If you ever need to talk again, you know I'm here and willing to listen."

"Yeah. Thanks."

**

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**

"I'm hoooo-ooome!" I called as I entered the front door. After talking with Marluxia and taking a nice stroll through Twilight Town, I felt both emotionally and physically better. The figurative and literal weight was lifted off my chest, and if anyone were to believe me I would have claimed that I could breathe more openly without feeling constricted.

I'm sure that the current inhabitants of the apartment realized this, as I was tackled by two hyperactive beings by the names of Sora and Axel.

Sora was the brother of Roxas, who in fact went back to the diaper days with Axel and the three of them had been tight friends since their mothers introduced their children on a play date. While Sora could purely be put in the same "Crack Head" category and Axel, Marluxia, Larxene and I, Roxas was a completely foil of his brother and was on the quieter side unless you pushed the proper buttons. He was like me before I had met the group, though he was more capable of holding his mundane disposition.

... Until Axel ticked him off to a certain point, of course.

"You're home! Zexion never told me you left!" Axel nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck and the fire truck spikes just grazed along the ticklish areas, making me burst into laughter. By now I was pinned to the ground by my boyfriend, Sora on Axel's back as if he was one of those carnival ponies. He swung around his invisible hat, yelling out "Yee-haw!" And using the neck of Axel's shirt as the reigns. It was only until he pulled back on those "reigns" and choked Axel, causing the redhead to sit up abruptly and for the spiky brunette to fall off with a heavy 'thud'. I could hear laughter coming from the living room, and I was curious as to who else was in our house.

"Yeah," I laughed, "I'm home. I think spending the day outside did me some good. Who's all here?" I asked, but as Sora retreated back down the hallway I could felt lips press against my neck, leaving butterfly kisses in their wake as Axel ignored my question.

"Axel!" I hissed, having to bite my tongue as he did the same to my collarbone. "Yes?" The voice purred against my neck, sending vibrations across my chest and I couldn't hold back the shiver. "People don't care..." Cold fingers made their way up the front of my shirt and I writhed under his touch as Axel began sucking on the side of my neck.

"Uh, yes we do." Riku had walked up to the pair of us, a smirk rightfully donning his expression and he nudged Axel's behind with a foot. "I do hope you realize that this isn't the way average people greet each other."

"Oh, silly Riku. When have I ever been average?" Axel mirrored the silver-haired man's catty grin, continuing his ministrations on everywhere but my lips and driving me insane. It was then I heard Xigbar call from the living room.

"Those five consecutive losses speak for themselves, Ax. Brawl has _declared_ you average." Xigbar let out a cackle and Axel's ego and expression dropped.

"I swear to god, I will kill that man-" "_YOU WERE PLAYING BRAWL WITHOUT ME_?" I protested, pushing Axel up so I could meet him face to face.

I'd like to set one thing straight. Brawl was _my game_. I had bought it with _my money_, and mastered every character on _my Nintendo Wii_. To hear that other people were playing while I was not present was like hearing someone had read my diary and then announced it to me. Translation: I was about to royally kick some ass.

"Up." I pressed my hands to Axel's chest, wiggling to make my need to get up more evident. "Upupupupupup-!"

"Alright, okay! I get it! Nice to see you too." Axel said, raising his hands defensively as he stumbled backwards to get up and I stood up as well, brushing the wrinkles out of the front of my shirt. "Did you at least have a good day?"

At Axel's question, I replied with a grin. "Yeah. I'm feeling a lot better." Walking into the living room, I realized it was much more crowded than I was expecting. On the larger couch sat Riku, Sora, Roxas and Larxene, while on the love seat sat Xigbar and Zexion. When Axel went to join them, he merely sprawled out on the carpeted floors and I decided to accompany him. At the moment, Roxas, Larxene and Zexion were all intensely focused on a match. While Roxas and Larxene were dueling it out, I could see Zexion attempting to get the controls down but having some difficulties. It was then I'd noticed everyone had a drink cracked open except for the slate-haired man, and I had to hold back a laugh.

_Always the caretaker... never the party animal, eh, Zexy?_ I thought, grabbing myself a chilled bottle from the cooler and opening it for myself, taking a swig. The sober state was long gone for others such as Larxene and Xigbar who, even sitting still, had a slight sway going on.

"We need more beer!" Xigbar announced abruptly, and he stood up with a stumble and another chuckle. Zexion stood up along with him for support as the one-eyed man attempted to walk towards the door with some sense of manly swagger, only to lurch awkwardly and make the group hum with laughter.

"I'll go along with him." Zexion said. "We can't have him driving as it is."

"No! No, no, no," I cut in, standing up and separating the two while I looked over to Riku. "Can you take Xig? I need to talk to Zexion." Riku shrugged before standing up, going over to support Xigbar and lead him out of the house while Axel took the love seat to himself. As for me, I dragged Zexion into the kitchen, all the while the slate-haired man gave me a look of confusion.

"What exactly is going on?" "You need to loosen up, my friend. Get a couple of these in you." I poured a small shot of raspberry vodka into a glass and held it out to him. Zexion took the glass hesitantly, but didn't put it to his lips.

"I don't see the point of this." He observed the cup as if it were the Holy Grail, and I poured myself a shot as well.

"Well I do. And if you want to start owning some noobs at that game you've gotta loosen up. Loosen up, Zexy!" I clinked the edge of my glass against his, downing the liquor and letting the strong burning enter my chest cavity with a smile. Not long after, Zexion did the same, giving me a small smile. That was good enough for me.

"Alright, let's do this. And just to let you know: I call Captain Falcon."

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**A/N: Alright, so I know it's an odd place to leave off, but I promise that next chapter, things WILL liven up. I know that I will be writing more tomorrow and Friday, but there are no guarantees for the rest of the weekend or next week due to the fact that I will be packing and preparing for my trip. :)**

**OH! I'm so damn excited. I can't contain myself. **

**ALSO! I would love to see at least three more reviews on this story so I could have a solid five. Just to know that readers are willing to give feedback and criticism on what I could do to make this story better/how much they like it. So... yeah! Hope you enjoyed it, and until next chapter...**

**- DecorusEverto.**


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